Crossing Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, this ride will take you on a journey of discovery through historic cities, untouched wilderness and along breathtaking coastline. Our trip will start in Tallinn where the fairytale architectural style sets an enchanting scene. This will feature throughout the trip as we journey through Tartu, Riga, Trakai and Vilnius. Between the architectural highlights, we will also enjoy some of the best cycling this region has to offer, through beautiful national parks and along idyllic coastal paths.

Responsible Travel

Tourism can be a real help to local communities, providing income, positive cultural exchanges and a financial incentive to protect their natural environment. Ours is a 'total approach' to responsible tourism, covering everything from the way we plan and operate our trips to the practices of Exodus as a company.

On this trip, we stay at locally run hotels of good locations that employ local staff. When meals are provided, local ingredients are used wherever possible otherwise, there are plenty of opportunities to try a range of local delicacies at local restaurants and cafes recommended by our local guides. Purchasing fresh smoked fish is a good way to support local fishermen and their business. We are enthusiastic about exploring the culture of each of the three countries on our route with visits to a number of historical sites where the profits generated by entrance fees, souvenirs and local handicrafts sold benefits the surrounding communities. On entering the Curonian Spit, we have to pay ecological fees for our vehicle where the money goes to support the municipality of the area. Water is especially important for cycling trips and whilst we must stay hydrated, it is also vital to not cause too much waste from single use plastic bottles. Hence, we provide large water containers so that clients can refill their reusable water bottles.

In March 2019, Exodus Travels launched the Exodus Travels Foundation where we support initiatives all around the world. But it cannot exist without travellers who care. Get involved or learn more about what Responsible Travel means to Exodus here…

Itinerary

Day 1

On arrival, there should be some time to explore Tallinn. Tallinn is a fascinating historical city with many sites to explore. We recommend strolling through the streets of the Old Town to Raekoja Plats (Town Hall Square); the square historically served as a market and meeting place and is surrounded by elaborate merchant houses – the perfect setting to enjoy a coffee. If you find the round stone with a compass rose in the middle of the square you will be able to see the 5 church spires of the old town. The Cathedral of Saint Mary, St. Alexander Nevsky and St. Olav's Church have long characterised the skyline of the old town and are well worth a visit, as are the old town walls.

Go Shnelli or similar

Day 2

This morning there is some free time to further explore Estonia's capital (timings will be confirmed by the guide in the welcome briefing). In the afternoon we leave Tallin behind and drive out of the city (approx. 1h), we will begin our first ride through National Park Lahemaa. The park, one of the last unspoilt regions of the Baltic Coast, extends over 700 square kilometres. Its nature is rich and unique. Here you will cycle through thick woods, marshes and lakes. Above all, the coastline is what makes this area so distinctive. It is also a rich environment for wildlife with moose and wild boar, although difficult to spot, and over 220 species of bird – keep your eyes open! Our accommodation for the evening is situated in the national park itself and is in a spectacular setting in the grounds of an old distillery.

Park Hotel Palmse or similar

Meals included:
Breakfast

Day 3

Today we have a full day to explore the largest national park in Estonia and one of the biggest in Europe. We will embark on a circular route taking in as many of the parks wonderful attractions as possible. Starting from Palmse Hotel (the former park manor house), we will pass Sagadi manor, the 400 year old fisherman’s village of Altja, the popular seaside resort of Vosu, and Kasmu village which is home to the fisherman’s museum. We finish the loop cycling back through Estonian forests and meadows until we arrive at the hotel.

Park Hotel Palmse or similar

Meals included:
Breakfast

Day 4

We start the day with a bus transfer to the shore of Peipsi Lake (approx. 1.5h), then start cycling from the 17th Century fisherman’s village of Mustvee. From here we pass through ancient towns and churches. Following an old Russian tradition, villages in Peipsi only have one street. Because of this, the shore of Peipsi Lake is one long street with lots of small settlements dotted along it. We continue cycling into Varnja and then transfer to Tartu (approx. 30min).

Tartu Hotel or similar

Meals included:
Breakfast

Day 5

After breakfast, we have a 40km transfer to Otepaa. This area is known as ‘Estonian Switzerland’ because of its stunning scenery and pine forests. As you would expect, there are a few hills on today’s ride, though nothing too steep and challenging with the gradient not going above 7%. Once over the hills, we cycle through beautiful forest and meadows and past Lake Puhajarve on our way to Sangaste town. We will visit the park and castle in Sangaste – walking up the castle tower gives us a great view over Otepaa and the surrounding green natural areas. After visiting the castle we continue cycling to Valga city, and from here we transfer by bus to Riga (approx. 2.5h), our base for the next two nights.

Ibis Centre Riga or similar

Meals included:
Breakfast

Day 6

Our journey today will start in the bustling town Riga, Latvia’s largest town and capital city. The city has a mediaeval old town which is famous for its wooden buildings and art nouveau architecture. We will then follow the cycle paths to the beautiful town of Jurmala, which is famous for its incredible wooden buildings and 19th Century Russian villas. Jurmala is also one of Latvia’s largest seaside resorts – it has a 33km stretch of white sandy beach for us to explore on our bikes. There will be plenty of time to have a swim in the sea before we transfer back to Riga for the night.

Ibis Centre Riga or similar

Meals included:
Breakfast

Day 7

After breakfast, we leave Latvia and transfer directly to Lithuania (approx. 4h). We begin our ride in Sventoji on a beautiful cycle route to Klaipeda, which lies along the Baltic Coast. On the way we pass Palanga, a traditional bucket and spade seaside town with a long stretch of sandy beach. It's a really fun place to stop, have a wander around, a dip in the sea, and see one of the most favoured seaside towns among Lithuanians. We will visit the Palanga Botanical Gardens and manor house which is now home to the amber museum. There are numerous cafes to sit and enjoy the atmosphere and have some lunch before we set off again for our final destination of Klaipeda, our base for two nights. Our hotel is close to the Old Town, so a good spot from which to explore.

Amberton Hotel Klaipeda or similar

Meals included:
Breakfast

Day 8

We transfer to Nida (approx. 1.5h including the ferry ride), known as the town of retreat, and an artist’s resort. It was home and inspiration for two summers to the author Thomas Mann and its affluent feel and tranquillity encourages the feeling that you are on a holiday within a holiday. From here we explore the 68km long Curonian Spit. The high dunes (up to 60m) running along the spit have encouraged the local people to refer to the area as the 'Lithuanian Sahara'. During our ride we will make a stop in Juodkrante and admire the bizarre wooden carvings on what is known as Witch Hill. The sculpture park was started in 1979 and now has more than 70 wooden carvings representing characters of Lithuanian folktale and legend. We will then continue along the spit with the Baltic Sea extending far into the distance. We finish the ride at the ferry port, and from here we take the ferry across the lagoon then transfer back to the hotel in Klaipeda for the night.

Amberton Hotel Klaipeda or similar

Meals included:
Breakfast

Day 9

We start the day with a bus transfer to Kintai village (approx. 45mins), and from here we cycle through dense green forests and beautiful meadows to Vente Cape. There is a lot of wildlife at Vente Cape as it is a popular resting place for birds on their migration, and it's home to one of the first bird ringing stations in Europe. We will visit the 11m high lighthouse which offers breathtaking views of the lagoon and golden sand dunes of the Curonian Split; the lighthouse is a fascinating place, built in 1863 when the cape was still part of Germany. We continue cycling to the town of Silute where we get on the bus and transfer to Vilnius (approx. 4h).

Comfort Hotel or similar

Meals included:
Breakfast

Day 10

After breakfast, we transfer by bus to the small village of Semeliskes(approx. 1h). From here we have a picturesque ride over undulating terrain to Galve Lake. Here the magical and famous Trakai Castle sits, as if floating on its own island in the middle of the lake – it’s a truly magical place. We will explore the surrounding areas of the lake and visit the Castle before transferring back to Vilnius for the night.

Essential Info

Visas

UK passport holders do not need visas for this trip. Other nationalities should check with the relevant embassies.

Vaccinations

No vaccinations are obligatory.

Eating and Drinking

All breakfasts included.

Breakfast: These will be taken in the hotels. In most places, these will be buffet style and will offer plenty of choice including cold meat, cheese, eggs, bread, jams and juice. Lunches: On many of the days due to our remote rides there will be the option to buy a picnic from the hotel or get supplies on the way – we can then chose a spot on our ride to stop for a break. This means we can be flexible and chose the best views for lunch. On some of the days there will be opportunities to buy lunches in cafes in the towns that we go through such as Palanga. Dinners: These will be taken in the hotels or in restaurants and will be hearty meals. Cuisine in this area is often centred around pork, veal, fish, potatoes, sauerkraut and soups such as borsch (beetroot soup with meat, in Lithuania this is also served cold). In Trakai, Kibinai are very popular, these are large savoury baked pastries traditionally filled with lamb or beef and are very good.

Weather

The climate is largely influenced by the Baltic Sea. The summers are warm with temperatures from 20 to 30 degrees celcius. In the evenings the temperatures will not drop too much. There is little rain in the summer but of course it is always a possibility so it is best to be prepared. The days will be long, with up to 19 hours of daylight. In spring and autumn there is the possibility of light rain. Estonia is the furthest north and therefore the coldest, although the temperature range described applies. Lithuania is the furthest south, which makes it the warmest country of the three. Estonia is often described as more Scandinavian than the other two countries.

Estonia

Is this trip for you?

Average daily distance: 45km (28 miles)

9 days cycling with full vehicle support

Our cycling routes follow mainly quiet backroads, paths through national parks and coastal cycle tracks. There are some undulating sections, so a moderate level of fitness is required, though the majority of the route is flat. As we are covering a large area there are bus transfers on most of the cycling days, this enables us to cover the distances to see all the highlights and use the bikes to cover the best bits.

Please note that before reaching the cities, the leader will give you information on their history and places of interest and will guide you into town, however, they are not allowed to give you a guided tour of the city once you are there due to restrictions of tour leaders, only official city guides are allowed to do this. You will have the choice of wandering around the cities at your own pace, or you can pay locally for a guide. We will leave this up to you.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Swimming in the Baltic Sea in all 3 countries and in Lake Galve by Trakai Castle. Visiting the Cold War Museum and nuclear missile bunker (which really should go on the itinerary).

What did you think of your group leader?

Andrius is the master of the flexible plan and suggested that we abandon the planned cycle in the rain and crafted an excellent ride in the sunshine. Importantly Andrius is old enough to have experienced soviet occupation and is able to regale many tales of that era. He delivered much more than was expected, with little surprises and optional extras. He clearly enjoys his job.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Alcohol limits are much lower than in the UK. Cycling under the influence of alcohol is never a good idea.

Sunny Baltics

The trip was very interesting with lots of variation, capital cities lovely little fishing villages. Lots of culture and history and easy cycling. Excellent food. Andries was a really great tour leader with a great sense of humour.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

What did you think of your group leader?

Andrius was a great tour leader with a brilliant sense of humour. He was very knowledgeable and a great story teller. He definitely went the extra mile nothing was ever to much trouble and some special little surprises .

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

A wonderful trip

A thoroughly enjoyable and interesting trip. The Baltic states are great places to cycle with lots of dedicated and well maintained cycle paths away from the main road. Cycling through beautiful forests and by lakes and the sea, we also had time to sample the culture as well. Very good food too. Highly recommended.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Almost too many to mention but top days included:
Cycling through Laheema National Park and Curonia Spit National Park plus the Witch Wood; smoked salmon lunch in the museum; onion soup cafe!; Trakai Castle; swimming in the lake by Trakai castle; organ recital in Riga Cathedral

What did you think of your group leader?

Andrius was a great group leader - great sense of humour, enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the Baltics and through his story telling skills bought the history of the country to life. Was alert to the needs of the group and ensured that were able to do our choice of activities whether minority or majority. We were lucky to have him take us this beautiful region.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Be relaxed, follow your guide's advice, go with the flow and take a swimming costume

Cycle the Baltics

Easy cycling with mostly flat terrain throughout. The three main cities, Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius are all a very interesting but quite different. The climate drier and warmer than I expected but maybe we were lucky. Food and drink really good.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Cycling the Curonian Spit and I really enjoyed the folk night in Vilnius contrary to expectations

What did you think of your group leader?

Andrius held my interest from beginning to end with his extensive knowledge and great sense of humour.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Take your swimming trunks and have the smoked salmon at the fisherman's museum.

Enjoyable trip cycling through the Baltics

Overall this was a very enjoyable trip, visiting the Baltic capitals and countryside, learning about the history of the countries and enjoying some very good local food. It is a relatively flat route through the countries on some very good quality cycle paths and roads (compared to the pot holes in the UK) and the distances are not too challenging.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

There was some enjoyable cycling, interspersed with some unusual but very interesting sights such as the Hill of Crosses and the Nuclear Missile site in Lithuania, which were about as different as you can imagine but both worth seeing. The nightlife in Vilnius was also a lot of fun!

What did you think of your group leader?

Andrius was an excellent group leader, with great local knowledge, a sharp sense of humour, and able to tell interesting stories about the history of the places we were visiting. He was well organised, and coped well with a couple of first aid incidents! Food choices were good (the smoked fish a personal highlight!) and having a plan B on the only day it rained was great as well, as it meant we cycled an alternative route, while still heading in the right direction for the final destination, which the group appreciated.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Lovely Baltics

Our trip was full of surprises, it was warm and sunny, the Baltic sea wasn't freezing, there were flowers everywhere, the food was great for a vegetarian and it's not boring cycling through a forest.
Andrius was a great guide and storyteller, lots of jokes, folk tales, history and local information. We ate as many local specialities in unique locations as he could track down. On our one wet day he came up with a brilliant alternative of cycling round Kaunos instead which was lovely. A great holiday.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Cycling through the villages around Peipsie lake

What did you think of your group leader?

Excellent.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Wonderful Trip

We enjoyed ten days of fun, sightseeing, riding and good food. The countryside we rode through was picturesque and always interesting. The villages, towns and cities all had their own unique charm. Our accommodation was very comfortable and our group were all friendly and good to ride with.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Riding in Lahemaa National Park and along the Curonian Spit.

What did you think of your group leader?

Our group leader, Andrius, was very informative and explained the history and culture of the Baltic countries with candour and humour. He was very well organised so it all ran without a hitch and the pleasant extras were very enjoyable.

Very informative

Andrius was an excellent guide through the three Baltic countries. Th cycling was not too challenging but at times rather monotonous as we cycled in forests or along roads with little changing scenery.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Eating smoked fish outside the fisherman's house, the delicious salmon lunch, gazing out over the Baltic. Understanding a little more about life in Soviet times.

What did you think of your group leader?

Andrius was witty, sardonic, extremely knowledgeable and completely made the trip for us.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Relax, enjoy your fellow cyclists (we had a great bunch!)and if Andrius has any little suggestions follow his advice!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Great experience and would definately use exodus again

A brilliant trip all round. The cycling was very moderate on good comfy hybrid bikes through a variety of landscapes. The cities in the countries were interesting and vibrant. The group were a fantastic bunch of people and our guide was superb. Very informative , humorous , inclusive and clever with his little extras.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

There isn’t one but a few. The smoked fish dinner outside at the fisherman’s house. The delicious salmon dinner in the museum. The ritual at the border signs and the hill of crosses.

What did you think of your group leader?

Our leader was fantastic on all levels. He had a very professional
manner . He included everyone in the group well , had a good sense of humour and was very knowledgable about all the aspects of the trip eg history, restaurants , distances . He used his common sense well to ensure the days plans worked for all.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Cycling The Baltics

The trip was a leisurely cycle and very much as described but further enhanced by the sites of interest we visited. The food was great and Andrius took us to a variety of restaurants, all reasonably priced - eating in the fisherman's garden and the folk evening were highlights. This was our first trip with Exodus, we thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

The fish lunch in the museum, food was delicious, the museum was really interesting and in a picturesque location.

What did you think of your group leader?

Andrius was an amazing ( and very witty) group leader, his flexibility in adapting the trip programme to the interests of the group was a huge plus. His knowledge of the area is vast and the insight he provided in to history of The Baltic States complemented the cycling - he was the icing on the cake! Thank you.

Dates & Prices

An overview of flight options

Exodus is committed to making joining our tours as easy as possible, wherever you live. We generally only block book seats from London, but this certainly does not mean that you need to fly from there. Depending on the route and airlines available, there will usually be various options available for those who want to fly from their local airport.

This page aims to provide a useful overview of the options available to our clients. However, the best flight arrangements should be tailored to your personal requirements, so please contact our Sales team for expert advice.

What kind of options do I have ?

1. We can book for you: Flights from anywhere in the world - not via London

Depending on the route, this may be direct or via an overseas hub like Amsterdam, the Middle East or elsewhere. On short haul routes there may be direct flights with low cost airlines, charter flights or scheduled airlines. Exodus can book most, but not all, of these for you. The most appropriate airline may be different to that which we use for the group flight from London, but many people now travel on different airlines and meet up with their fellow passengers at the destination.

Pros

Cons

May be the most direct route

Often the extra fare compared to the London flight is minimal.

As you will be in the hands a single airline for your entire journey, the airline will be responsible for your bags and your connections.

You may not be able to join the group transfers. However, we can usually arrange private transfers, or book your flights to try and coincide with the group transfers. See notes on transfer arrangements below.

2. We can book for you: Connecting flights from your local airport to London

Exodus can book connecting flights to London so you can join the group flight there. Connecting times will be followed according to airline advice, or as requested by clients. There are two types of fares we can use for this option: a 'through-fare' or a 'published fare'.

a) A 'through-fare' is where you will be in the main airline's care throughout. You change planes, but your bags are checked all the way through to your final destination.

b) A 'published fare' ticket is completely seperate from your onward ticket from London. It is usually cheaper than a through-fare but will need to be paid for and issued as soon as it is booked. This can be a problem if your tour has not yet reached minimum numbers. On 'published fares' neither airline is aware that you have connecting flights, so Exodus is responsible for timing your connection, not the airlines involved. The tickets are also usually non changeable and non refundable.

Pros

Cons

Depending on the fare type, Exodus or the airline is responsible for flight connections.

Through fare tickets can be expensive.

On a published fare, tickets must be issued immediately; tickets on published fares can be very difficult to change if onward flight times change; bags are not checked though to your final destination.

Published fares are non-refundable.

3. Booking some or all of the flights yourself

You can also book connecting air travel yourself, either to London, or all the way to the start point. There may be certain airlines or routes we don't have access to, so this is always an option. However, if you make your own travel arrangements you become liable for any delays, cancellations or missed connections, and Exodus is not required to offer refunds if you have trouble reaching the start of your trip.

Pros

Cons

You might find cheaper fares, or routes not available to Exodus.

You are responsible for any delays or missed connections, and the cost of the tour is not protected should you miss your flight be cancelled.

Notes on transfer arrangements

Sometimes it is possible to travel on a different airline to the group flight from London. Where this is the case, we need to think about ensuring you meet up with the group with minimum extra cost and hassle.

On certain trips, it is easy to arrive on a different flight and still meet the group at the hotel with time in hand. We can usually arrange private transfers (at extra cost) or offer advice on taking a taxi to the start hotel.

On other trips (especially in Europe), the transfer meets the group flight and then travels some distance to the first night's accommodation. Where this is the case, our Sales team will try to arrange flights that arrive before (and depart after) the group. However, we do have to make it clear in your final documentation that if your flights are delayed, the transfer cannot wait for you. While Exodus or our local operators will do what we can to help you reach the start point of the tour, any additional costs must be paid by the client.